A CRIME series akin to Broadchurch or Happy Valley will be made on the Border next year.
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Based on the true story of a firebug who tormented Albury suburb Hamilton Valley in the 1960s, the eight-part, television mini-series would start production in spring 2020.
It will be an adaptation of Red Hot, written by Riverina author Leonie Alldis.
Alldis said her book, which was published five years ago, was a classic who-dunnit story based on the arsonist who operated in Hamilton Valley for almost four years in the mid-1960s.
A Hamilton Valley resident at the time, Alldis lost property at the hands of the firebug who lit more than 300 fires.
"He was never caught and the impact his terrorising had on the local fruit growers was immense," she said.
"The financial loss was huge and the whole Valley was in despair at that time.
"People were too frightened to leave their homes; the elderly were afraid they would burn in their beds.
"Lifelong friendships ended up in tatters as everyone became suspicious of each other ... after all the arsonist knew the Valley well enough to become invisible.
"They labelled him the invisible firebug."
OTHER ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:
Lucky Country Productions has optioned the book, bringing on Rachel Ward as director and Bill Leimbach as producer.
The six-month production would involve a cast and crew up to 150 with local extras needed.
In Albury this week scouting locations for the series, Leimbach said Red Hot had a fantastic storyline.
"It's a fantastic story and it's also a family saga," he said.
"TV is looking for strong family sagas; we're creating something fictitious from the book for TV streaming on one of the big players like Netflix, Stan or Foxtel.
"It will be something like Broadchurch or Happy Valley with strong female characters.
"We've got a female director, female author and female screen writers."
Leimbach said the series would need a large fruit packing shed for six months - in which to build a set - within 25 kilometres of Albury-Wodonga.
He said he had met Albury and District Historical Society members.
"We're hoping the Albury-Wodonga community will get on board with this project," Leimbach said.
"I worked on a series in Townsville where people really came together."
The production company is seeking interest from Border investors.
THE LOWDOWN
WHAT: Red Hot TV mini-series
WHEN: Production coming to Albury in spring 2020
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